The digital distribution of media signals such as media streams over the Internet is becoming commonplace. Audio and video streams are widely available on the Internet from many different sources. The audio and video streams are typically encoded in a standard format, such as Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) standards MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Such encoding provides various benefits such as to compress the amount of data that is included in the stream to provide an adequate playback quality at the user device. The user device decodes the incoming streams by applying a codec available to the user device.
The encoding and decoding process may involve encryption of the encoded data such that the decoding process may occur only if a decoder key and a corresponding decryption algorithm are available at the end user device. Thus, merely having the appropriate codec does not grant automatic access to the media stream content. Typically, a subscription to a service provider allows for possession of the appropriate decoder key and decryption algorithm for media streams for that service provider. Service providers are cautious regarding distribution of such decoder keys and decryption algorithms so as to protect against unlawful access to the media content.
In some cases, a service provider may take a relatively relaxed approach to distribution of content. Here, the service provider may allow a user's computer device to employ software based decoding where the decoder key and decryption algorithm and in some cases even the codecs themselves are compiled into a software package that the user may load onto the user's computer under a single machine license. The software may require an activation which may render the software as nonfunctional on any other computer to prevent multiple users from benefitting from the same software package license. That software package must be present and must be used when viewing content sourced from that corresponding service provider. If media content from multiple service providers that protect their media is desired, then multiple software packages must be present in such cases.
In other cases, a service provider may take a stricter approach to distribution of content. Here, the service provider may require one or more service provider specific devices or hardware items, such as a set top box, that includes hardware based codecs, decryption algorithms, and decoder keys. Without such hardware, the media streams are unavailable, and such hardware may cost a significant amount. Furthermore, as codecs, decryption algorithms, decoder keys, device connectivity, and other technologically related aspects of obtaining the media content change, the hardware may become obsolete and require recurring replacement.
In addition to the issues with obtaining media streams from service providers who protect their media content, distributing the media to a desirable place to enjoy it within the user premise also raises issues. While the downloaded media streams may be enjoyable in some cases on the user's download device, such as a computer, the user may prefer to enjoy such audio and video streams on other playback devices including a regular television or a large screen home theater system. While there are some existing systems that may assist the user in distributing the media stream from a computer to another playback device such as a television or large screen home theater, such existing systems have many drawbacks. For instance, a local data network may be used to transmit the media and simultaneous network usage and inherent limitations on bandwidth of the local data network may cause issues with media delivery. Such problems are further magnified where notoriously unreliable wireless local networking is employed.
Additional issues arise when considering the portability of obtaining such media streams and delivering them to desirable places for playback. In some instances, the device used to obtain and decode the media streams is tied to a given physical location and may not function elsewhere. In other instances, the device to obtain and decode a media stream may function at different physical locations, but the device itself may be installed within an infrastructure for receiving signals and/or for distributing them at the premise. This infrastructure, such as connectivity to data networking components or connectivity to downstream playback components via a variety of cables makes attempting to physically transfer the device an overly burdensome chore.
As can be seen from the non-exhaustive set of factors discussed above, there are many issues associated with obtaining digital media content. Likewise, there are many issues associated with locally distributing digital media content for playback.